THEATER
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Philadelphia Theatre Company presents the award-winning tale of six kids in the throes of puberty vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime, through Dec. 5 at Suzanne Roberts Theater, 480 S. Broad St.; (215) 985-0420.
Annie Media Theater presents the musical with out comedian and TV star Wanda Sykes as Miss Hannigan, through Dec. 12 and Jan. 12-16, 104 E. State St., Media; (610) 891-0100.
The Borrowers Arden Theatre Company presents an adaptation of the beloved children’s novel, through Jan. 30 on the F. Otto Haas Stage, 40 N. Second St.; (215) 922-1122.
Caesar’s Palace O’ Fun The Walnut Street Theatre presents a musical variety show centered around an outrageous lounge lothario, through Jan. 2 at Independence Studio on 3, 825 Walnut St.; (215) 574-3550.
I Capture The Castle The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents the romantic comedy about a 17-year-old budding writer, Cassandra, and her eccentric family who live in a crumbling 17th-century English castle, through Jan. 2, 36 Madison Ave., Madison, N.J.; (973) 408-5600.
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol The Walnut Street Theatre presents the classic Christmas story, Dec. 4-18, 825 Walnut St.; (215) 574-3550.
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Walnut Street Theatre presents an all-new production of the holiday Broadway musical, through Jan. 9, 825 Walnut St.; (215) 574-3550.
Jersey Boys The Kimmel Center’s Broadway series presents the award-winning musical about Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi, through Dec. 12 at Forrest Theatre, 1114 Walnut St.; (215) 790-5847.
My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish and I’m in Therapy Society Hill Playhouse presents a comedic one-man show through Dec. 12, 507 S. Eighth St.; (215) 923-0210.
Old Wicked Songs Bristol Riverside Theater presents out playwright Jon Maran’s Pulitzer Prize-nominated drama about a piano prodigy who travels to Vienna desperate to regain his waning creative spark, through Dec. 5, 120 Radcliffe St., Bristol; (215) 785-0100.
Parenting 101: The Musical! The musical comedy about raising children, Dec. 9-March 6 at Kimmel’s Innovation Studio, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
Scrooge: The Musical The ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future join to transform Ebenezer Scrooge from the meanest skinflint that ever lived to a warm and caring human being in this holiday musical, Dec. 9-19 at the Ritz Theatre, 915 White Horse Pike, Haddon Township, N.J.; (856) 858-5230.
The Santaland Diaries Flashpoint Theatre Company presents an adaptation of out humorist David Sedaris’ comedic look at the holidays, through Dec. 19 at Second Stage at The Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St.; (215) 568-8077.
This is the Week That Is 1812 Productions presents the smash news comedy returning for its fifth year, through Dec. 31 at Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey St.; (215) 592-9560.
MUSIC
Daryl Hall & John Oates The hit rock duo performs at 8 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa Music Box, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City; (609) 317-1000.
The Legwarmers The ’80s tribute band performs at 8 p.m. Dec. 3 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; (215) 922-6888.
Will Downing The adult contemporary singer performs at 8 p.m. Dec. 3 at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside; (215) 572-7650.
Roman Festivals The Philadelphia Orchestra performs with Milan-born conductor Gianandrea Noseda, music director of the Teatro Regio in Turin, and American pianist Garrick Ohlsson for a performance of the Fifth Concerto of Prokofiev, 2 p.m. Dec. 3 and 8 p.m. Dec. 4 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
Vienna Boys Choir The Kimmel Center presents the acclaimed choir at 7 p.m. Dec. 3 at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 260 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
Holiday Pops! Peter Nero and the Philly Pops performs a holiday-themed selection of songs, Dec. 4-22, at Kimmel’s Verizon Hall, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
N’dambi The soul/R&B singer performs at 10:30 p.m. Dec. 9 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 222-1400.
EXHIBITS
Art of the American Soldier The National Constitution Center presents the world-debut exhibition of over 15,000 paintings and sketches created by 1,300 American soldiers in the line of duty, through Jan. 10, 525 Arch St.; (215) 409-6895.
Best of Show University of the Arts hosts an exhibition of The Photo Review 2010 Competition Prize Winners, through Dec. 10 at Gallery 1401, 14th floor of Terra Hall, 211 S. Broad St.; (215) 717-6300.
Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt The Franklin Institute presents an exhibition of 150 artifacts from Egypt, through Jan. 2, 20th Street and the Parkway; (215) 448-1200.
Desert Jewels: North African Jewelry and Photography from the Xavier Guerrand-Hermes Collection Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of jewelry and historic photographs from Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia, through Dec. 5, 26th Street and the Parkway; (215) 763-8100.
Eakins on Paper: Drawings and Watercolors from the Collection Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of 10 rarely seen drawings and watercolors that survey the early work of Thomas Eakins, through Jan. 9, 26th Street and the Parkway; (215) 763-8100.
A Glimpse of Paradise: Gold in Islamic Art Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition exploring the unique status of gold in Islam through a small group of objects drawn from the museum’s collection, through April 2011, 26th Street and the Parkway; (215) 763-8100. / John Folinsbee and American Modernism Woodmere Art Museum presents a fresh look at the New Hope painter’s life and work, revealing the artist’s move from impressionism towards modernism, through March 6, 9201 Germantown Ave.; (215) 247-0476.
Listen to My Story, See Through My Eyes: Stories from the Robert R. Rosenbaum Oral History Project The William Way LGBT Community Center presents video recordings of over 40 oral histories from local activists, celebrities and everyday people in the LGBT community, through Dec. 25, 1315 Spruce St.; (215) 732-2220.
Object and Fields AxD Gallery presents an exhibition of works by Mike Stack and Carrie Patterson, through Dec. 4, 265 S. 10th St.; (215) 627-6250.
Pleasures and Pastimes in Japanese Art Philadelphia Museum of Art presents an exhibition of costumes, masks and poetry exploring the ways in which leisure time was interpreted across all social classes in Japanese art, through January, 26th Street and the Parkway; (215) 763-8100.
The Visionary State: A Journey Through California’s Spiritual Landscape University of the Arts hosts an exhibition by photographer Michael Rauner taking the viewer on a tour of California’s more eccentric religious movements, through Dec. 10 at Gallery 1401, 15th floor of Terra Hall, 211 S. Broad St.; (215) 717-6300.
DANCE
Parsons Dance The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the multi-media dance troupe, Dec. 3-4 at Zellerbach Theatre, 3680 Walnut St.; (215) 898-3900.
World Headquarters Painted Bride Arts Center presents a performance by Dance Theater X, Dec. 3-4, 230 Vine St.; (215) 925-9914.
George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker The Pennsylvania Ballet performs the holiday-themed show Dec. 4-31 at Kimmel’s Academy of Music, 240 S. Broad St.; (215) 790-5847.
FILM
The Girl Who Kicked a Hornet’s Nest The action film with the queer heroine is screened Dec. 3-9 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; (610) 917-0223.
Batman Returns The 1992 film is screened at 10 p.m. Dec. 3 at The Colonial Theatre, 227 Bridge St., Phoenixville; (610) 917-0223.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse The teen vampire film was screened at 8 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; (215) 922-6888.
BOOKS
Dan Berger The author of “The Hidden 1970s: Histories of Radicalism,” hosts a discussion at 6 p.m. Dec. 7 at Penn Bookstore, 3601 Walnut St.; (215) 898-7595.
Stan Diamond The author of “What’s An American Doing Here? Reflections on Travel in the Third World,” hosts a Q&A at 6 p.m. Dec. 8 at Penn Bookstore, 3601 Walnut St.; (215) 898-7595.
CABARET
Scott Nevins The cabaret singer performs at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at Bob Egan’s New Hope, Ramada Inn, 6426 Lower York Road; (215) 862-5225.
Peek-a-Boo Revue The neo-burlesque troupe performs at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Dec. 4 at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St.; (215) 222-1400.
Christine Pedi The cabaret singer performs at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at Bob Egan’s New Hope, Ramada Inn, 6426 Lower York Road; (215) 862-5225.
Kristian Rex The rock singer performs at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Bob Egan’s New Hope, Ramada Inn, 6426 Lower York Road; (215) 862-5225.
ETC
Lewis Black The comedian performs at 9 p.m. Dec. 3-4 at the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa Event Center, 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City; (609) 317-1000.
Bo Burnham The musical comedian performs at 9:30 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch St.; (215) 922-6888.
Morris Arboretum’s Holiday Garden Railway The holiday-themed quarter mile displays bustling model trains and buildings, through Jan. 2, 100 E. Northwestern Ave.; www.morrisarboretum.org.